vikingbeast

Also, if you are denied, talk to the benefits coordinator at your work, because in many cases they can overrule denials, especially for larger companies that are self-pay.

I'm such a control freak (I'm a project manager!)... I actually discovered the hidden place on my insurer's website where I could track it. I actually knew about the approval before my clinic did 🤣

I've been really overwhelmed with the response I've gotten from my original post..
Thankyou to all of you for your really kind words...it was difficult for me to write and share how I was feeling....
I am a strong woman..ive just lost my way due to the suicide of my only niece and the father of my children in the last 2 years..I lost myself in the grief....But I've had enough of this sadness that has consumed me..I spent the full moon weekend crying uncontrollably...it was time for me to come to grips with everything that made me sad and to say goodbye to that unrecognisable person I've become ..so in a sense.. that part of me had to die to give way to the new ME...
So I look forward to the woman that I know will evolve and bring to life the new ME...
8 days till my surgery...I look forward to sharing my journey with you all...
Yes I am Worth It...
And Yes You Are Worth It.
Bless,...,

Sent from my SM-N980F using BariatricPal mobile app

Congratulations!! That's a huge difference, you can really see it in your face.

You are 100 percent worth it! Just make sure you have all the support you need—medical, nutritional, psychological, and if needed, addiction treatment. You absolutely can do this.

You are 100 percent worth it! Just make sure you have all the support you need—medical, nutritional, psychological, and if needed, addiction treatment. You absolutely can do this.

I'm never going to be in the correct BMI band and, to borrow from my other mother tongue, j'm'en câlisse. I just want to be healthy. I just didn't know if there was some number the doctor or insurance chose out of thin air. If I had to pick my number, I'd say 240-250, though that could change if I lose a bunch of muscle mass during the dreaded six weeks I'm disallowed from touching a barbell (argh!). That would give me a BMI of 32.5, so still obese by that useless measuring stick. I'll be the obese guy with abs (obscured by loose skin, LOL).

I got my date today—September 14—and got a heaping helping of my anxious questions answered by my super-awesome scheduler. I'll meet with the surgeon F2F once, and have a few things to do (blood work, etc.) before the date. I'll have to have a Covid test even though I'm fully vaccinated, due to the spread of the Delta variant.

Commenting to follow, this is a great question.

Commenting to follow, this is a great question.

I'm back with some new NSV. One of these gets me right in the feels.
Comfortably sitting with my legs crossed, arms folded across my belly. This does not get old. One of you mentioned being able to see willy, well....female equivalent is being able to see kitty. Sitting up, lying down she is visible! 😸 Last weekend I had an auntie day with my 7-year-old niece. She loves to run and asked me if I would race her. The look on her face when I said sure! She looked completely shocked then so delighted. We ran three races, she won them all (for real - the kid is fast) and her delight in play racing me was priceless. Had to blink back the tears a bit because it meant so much to her that her auntie was running and playing with her in a way I couldn't just a few months ago.

Be careful. Most balsamic vinegar sold in North America is just red wine vinegar with caramel coloring and some kind of sugar (sometimes even HFCS). The real stuff (which is still grape juice) costs so much you would never think to do anything except drip it on fruit with a glass eyedropper.

If you buy your balsamic at Safeway, Kroger, or Trader Joe's, it's mostly sugar.

I'm trying really hard to keep my opinions of your husband's total lack of support out of here, but I'm struggling... UGH.

I think maybe you need to confide in a friend and have them do it. You're going to need someone to talk to ("why am I in a stall?" "omg if I look at another Protein Drink I'm going to scream!").

And—tell your husband this isn't cheating. It's basically a stricter diet and exercise program than he's ever been on, and a physical restriction that FORCES you to behave and re-learn how to eat.

I have an entire list.
- Go off all my meds (BP meds, hormone meds, etc.)
- Maybe lose my CPAP.
- Fit in a kayak.
- Run a sub-10 mile.
- Do a pull-up.
- Go back to being able to ride horses.
- No more seatbelt extenders on airplanes.
- No more sitting down gingerly to see if the chair will hold me.
- Increased mobility (palms on floor)
- No more "we'd like a table, not a booth, please"
There's more but that's the big stuff.

I have an entire list.
- Go off all my meds (BP meds, hormone meds, etc.)
- Maybe lose my CPAP.
- Fit in a kayak.
- Run a sub-10 mile.
- Do a pull-up.
- Go back to being able to ride horses.
- No more seatbelt extenders on airplanes.
- No more sitting down gingerly to see if the chair will hold me.
- Increased mobility (palms on floor)
- No more "we'd like a table, not a booth, please"
There's more but that's the big stuff.

I have these thoughts too (I'm pre-op) so what I have is a list of things I want to experience in various places through my house. Sitting in a chair without having to do mental physics first. Not having to ask for a table instead of a booth. Being able to fly coach and not say a prayer to whoever the patron saint of obesity is that the seatbelt will just close. Being able to run more than 400 m without dying.

And honestly? When the "what are you even DOING right now" feeling gets overwhelming, I come here and just lurk. Y'all have no idea how many times you've kept me from canceling things... thank you.

I'm "takes a photo of the label with his phone and pinches waaaaaaay out" years old... join the club 🤣

As soon as I called the surgery center I became totally determined and I started counting calories again, and reduced carbs and increased Protein. It's been the easiest time ever to lose weight, I'm way less hungry with more protein and less sugar/carbs. I've lost more than 45 lbs, to the point where if I lost much more I wouldn't qualify for surgery. But the surgery center says they have put a weight in for my insurance so now I can keep losing weight.

Maybe you’re being more mindful because you know what awaits on the other side .. I too was losing weight more than usual. Granted I made adjustments like less bread, healthier swaps etc but I was just excited and more on it because i knew what was to come

Idk what it is but whatever it is I hope it keeps up for you. 👍

Honeymoon glow. Ride it all you can, lose as much weight as you can, work hard to change your eating habits. Eventually, your old habits will come a knocking...be it in a few months or a few years....but working on these healthy changes is absolute key to longterm success. Great work! Keep at it!

I don't know why, but suddenly, since I made the decision to pursue VSG, weight loss is becoming easier. I haven't changed my diet too much, I don't think—I still eat a variety of food—but yesterday I put on a smaller size jeans and they buttoned with no tugging, and today at the gym I had to cinch my weight belt in another notch before doing strict presses.

Reduction in stress corresponding to a reduction in cortisol? Unconsciously starting to wind down my overconsumption? Psychosomatic? sleeping better? My body anxious to "repair" itself? I don't know which of those it is, but I'm not going to complain about it!

I'm "takes a photo of the label with his phone and pinches waaaaaaay out" years old... join the club 🤣

I don't know why, but suddenly, since I made the decision to pursue VSG, weight loss is becoming easier. I haven't changed my diet too much, I don't think—I still eat a variety of food—but yesterday I put on a smaller size jeans and they buttoned with no tugging, and today at the gym I had to cinch my weight belt in another notch before doing strict presses.

Reduction in stress corresponding to a reduction in cortisol? Unconsciously starting to wind down my overconsumption? Psychosomatic? sleeping better? My body anxious to "repair" itself? I don't know which of those it is, but I'm not going to complain about it!

I'm trying really hard to keep my opinions of your husband's total lack of support out of here, but I'm struggling... UGH.

I think maybe you need to confide in a friend and have them do it. You're going to need someone to talk to ("why am I in a stall?" "omg if I look at another Protein Drink I'm going to scream!").

And—tell your husband this isn't cheating. It's basically a stricter diet and exercise program than he's ever been on, and a physical restriction that FORCES you to behave and re-learn how to eat.

I am so looking forward to being able to sit comfortably and not live in fear that the chair is going to give out from under me.
My BIL had RNY almost 3 years ago and lost 240 lbs. He broke many chairs in his heavy days, but he no longer has that fear and doesn't have to carry around his own chair anymore.